Elementary students at Chamois, Linn, and St. George last week took part in a presentation by author, speaker, and youth mover, Brandon White, who attended Linn R-2 from 1996-2000 during grades 4-8.

“I loved visiting each school, “said White. “The teachers and staff were friendly, even if some were less than enthusiastic about public dancing.”

Blending serious talk about the dangers of drugs and alcohol with fun activities such as dancing, White delivered a powerful punch that will stay with students.

“The presentation was amazing,” said Chamois R-1 Counselor Meghan Birmingham of his visit last Wednesday. “Brandon was wonderful. He touched on drug and alcohol prevention in fun and relevant ways. He was interactive and got the kids involved. He was very knowledgeable and shared personal stories that kids related to.”

Additionally, the kids “got it,” Birmingham added. “They had a great reaction to what Brandon was talking about,” she said. “I think they will take what they learned and utilize it. When I talked with the students afterward, they all talked about the presentation. He gave a scenario about a little mouse and getting trapped in a mousetrap. That really stuck with the students. They have already started referencing little mouse.”

In that demonstration, White placed a mousetrap on the floor and added a toy mouse, then another, and finally, a third. He told students the trap had cheese, which all the mice wanted. A fourth mouse stayed away from the trap, knowing the cheese was not a good thing. However, after a while, the mouse began to feel isolated from his mouse friends and joined them.

When he decided to take the cheese, the trap was sprung, giving elementary students a very clear comparison.

“Don’t be like this mouse,” White told students at Linn on Friday.

White said in a subsequent interview that he has always had a special place in his heart for Linn R-2. “I had supportive teachers, coaches, and positive childhood experiences in Linn that helped shape my ambition and confidence,” he said. “Even as past teachers and principals have moved away, as I have, I have kept in contact with some, and they continue to be friends and mentors to me.”

After moving to Kansas City, White was the student council president during his senior year, which gave him a passion for student leadership. “I saw a motivational speaker who inspired me, and so, that experience combined with my interest in acting, dancing, and entrepreneurship all pointed me to become a motivational speaker,” White said.

While in college, White taught ballroom dance in Kansas City and developed a youth dance program that gave him practice teaching, speaking, and performing. By the time he graduated with a Masters in Business, White already had a website and gave some motivational talks to nearby schools. “The ballroom dance program helped me develop skills performing that I still use today,” he added.

Linn Elementary Principal Tracy Kingsley said it’s very important in the early years that students hear the message of the importance of living a drug-free life.  

“Brandon’s presentation was fun and very enjoyable for our students, but also had a serious message,” she added. “The example he used of the mouse being pulled by peer pressure into something he knew was dangerous was very realistic. I hope it resonated with the students and will help build their resilience to the pressures of trying drugs as they get older.”

White believes what he conveys to students will last a long time and hearing from them is very rewarding.

“I’ve had numerous students message me over my 12-year career telling me how my speech helped them improve in their sport, increase their grades, repair a relationship, build confidence, overcome a funk, land a future job, and even prevent suicide,” he said. “I don’t pretend that I am better than I am, but I’m blessed and thankful to know that at least some of the things I’ve said over the years have truly made an impact.”

At St. George, teacher Beth Parrish said White made it fun for students with music, dancing, and lots of drug awareness facts. He also encouraged junior high students to “FIND THEIR LINE!”  

“Brandon challenged them to know what their ‘line’ would be to say in difficult situations and also where the ‘line’ would be that they would not cross,” she said. “He shared about the importance to be prepared and not caught off guard without your ‘line.’ Brandon was a very informational and entertaining speaker. We are lucky that Osage County Anti-Drug Community Action Team (OC-ADCAT) and area businesses supported this opportunity for our students.”

White’s message about crossing the line reminds students of all ages that actions have consequences.

“Know your line, what you won’t cross before it sneaks underneath you, because you’ll only have yourself to blame when you cross it, but you won’t be the only person to suffer when you do,” he said.

“This is a great opportunity every year to teach our kids the importance of living a drug-free life,” said OC-ADCAT Education Committee Chairperson Charlotte Bellsmith.

To help remind students of the message and importance of living a drug-free life, Osage County Health Department Administrator Kim Sallin arranged through a grant for the purchase of sunglasses for each student in every elementary school throughout the county, including those at parochial schools. Printed on each pair is, “Drug-free looks like me,” this year’s Red Ribbon Week theme.

Grant funding was secured by OC-ADCAT, and donations from local businesses were used to provide materials and a motivational speaker familiar with Linn.

White’s message applies to people of all ages.

“I often say that everything we want to do and become starts from within,” he said. “Negative thinking, bad habits, and poor attitudes cause more destruction and limit us more than anyone else ever could. Own it! Get the mental junk, negative thinking, and victim mindset out of your life. Stop blaming, and stop whining. Instead, know your purpose. For me, it’s my faith in God and not wanting to waste the life He gave me. Next, stop spending so much time on materialism. Things are fine, but happiness is in building relationships. Our country would do itself a lot of good if we focus more on what’s on the inside of our hearts; the strength of our character rather than the sum total of our possessions. We sometimes need a loving firm kick in the rear, because our community is worth it, our children are worth it, and we are worth it.”

At home, White loves spending time with his wife, Rachel, and their two sons. They enjoy leading and serving in their church. White also enjoys barbecuing, sports, hunting, and meeting new people as he travels around the country.

Being away from home while delivering his presentations is sometimes tough but White said his wife, whom he met in Linn, has always been supportive. “She is a great wife, mother, and also works part-time as a sonographer at North Kansas City Hospital,” said White. “There have been many late-night flights where she would have to hold the fort down while I was away. She has been through ups and downs with me, and I thank God for her.”

To anyone interested in becoming a motivational speaker, White has this advice.

“If you’re going to be a youth motivational speaker, you need to learn to lighten up and have some fun,” he said. “That wasn’t always natural for me, but my two little boys show me how to do just that every day. We create silly games and inside jokes that keep me ‘in shape’ for the stage.”